Program Development Manager Jobs in Colorado

About the Role

Lead the signature programs of a congressionally designated National Heritage Area. As Program Development Director, you'll own the calendar, the content, and the creative direction for events like the Poudre River Forum, Pub Talks, and Capture the Cache — bringing to life the story of the river that shaped Western water law along 45 miles of the Cache la Poudre. In a small, collaborative team, you won't just execute someone else's plan: you'll design programs, build partnerships across Larimer and Weld Counties, and see the direct impact of your work on residents and visitors.

About Poudre Heritage Alliance

The Poudre Heritage Alliance (PHA) is the managing entity for the Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area (Cache NHA), with its administrative offices located in Windsor, CO. The Heritage Area includes 45 miles of the river corridor, from the Roosevelt National Forest to the confluence of the Poudre with the South Platte River. PHA serves a population of over 600,000 people in Larimer and Weld Counties through its programs that PROMOTE history and culture, ENGAGE the public in the river corridor, and INSPIRE learning, preservation, and stewardship.

Why Join PHA

• Leadership of a year-round program calendar at a nationally designated heritage area
• Flexible scheduling and one remote day per week
• Structured onboarding during 2027, working alongside the team member who built PHA's current programs
• Direct partnership with the National Park Service, municipalities, and community organizations across Northern Colorado
• Full benefits, including health stipend, dental, vision, AD&D, 401(k) matching, employee assistance program, and paid time off for vacation, sick leave, and holidays

General Statement of Duties

The Program Development Director is a dynamic ambassador of the mission of PHA and is responsible for developing and executing annual programs and events that are effective, well-integrated, and engaging for visitors and residents alike. This position secures programmatic resources through grant writing, community partnerships, and sponsorships, and supports non-federal resource development. This position requires excellent project management skills, communication skills, attention to detail, and the ability to collaborate with internal and external stakeholders. The Program Development Director will establish and maintain effective working relationships with partners, funders, municipalities, consultants, the public, and businesses that align with PHA's work. The Director will track and document all program and event related activities, participants, and metrics to assist the Executive Director in quarterly and annual data collection and other grant reporting requirements. All activities are carried out in alignment with federal grant compliance requirements and programmatic goals.

Supervisory Responsibilities

Works under the general supervision of the Executive Director. Provides leadership and supervision for program-related staff, volunteers, or interns and may supervise others at the discretion of the Executive Director.

Time Allocation & Compliance

To comply with 2 CFR 200 (Uniform Guidance), time is split between allowable federal activities and non-federal resource development:

• 85% Allowable Federal Activities: program design and implementation, community engagement and outreach, community partnerships, and program grant writing and reporting.
• 15% Non-Federal Activities: sponsorship solicitation and individual donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship, funded strictly by unrestricted non-federal funds.

Although this is an exempt position, time and effort must be documented on each timesheet, with non-federal activities tracked separately from federally funded hours.

Duties and Responsibilities

The following duties and responsibilities are illustrative of the primary functions of this position and are not intended to be all-inclusive. This position may complete other duties as assigned. The Program Development Director will develop a standard operating procedure manual for all duties and responsibilities.

1. Program Development & Leadership (60%)

• Design, plan, and lead PHA's annual program and event calendar, including the Poudre River Forum, Pub Talks, Capture the Cache, and new initiatives, ensuring each program advances PHA's mission to promote, engage, and inspire.
• Lead program and event content: set themes, curate educational and interpretive elements, develop schedules and agendas, and ensure a high-quality experience for visitors and participants from concept through execution.
• Establish timelines, coordinate vendors, and lead staff and volunteers to execute programs and events; serve as the on-site lead and key point of contact to ensure smooth execution.
• Develop and manage program and event budgets, monitoring budget to actuals and recommending adjustments to the Executive Director.
• Identify and implement new programs or activities, as approved by the Executive Director, that expand PHA's reach and attract visitors to Northern Colorado.
• Track program and event participation, outcomes, and metrics to meet federal performance measures, inform future program planning, and support the Executive Director's grant reporting.

2. Community Outreach, Partnerships & Program Grants (25%)

• Build public awareness of and participation in Cache NHA programs, developing Cache NHA's reputation for natural and cultural significance at the local, regional, and national levels.
• Promote PHA events and programs in coordination with the Public Engagement Manager.
• Cultivate partnerships with businesses, nonprofits, municipalities, chambers of commerce, visitors' bureaus, and tourism organizations to expand Cache NHA resources, preservation, and interpretation.
• Coordinate with the Public Engagement Manager to ensure partner and sponsor deliverables tied to program delivery are met, including recognition, reporting, and event logistics.
• Research, write, and submit program grant proposals and manage program grant reporting, ensuring budgets align with allowable cost principles under 2 CFR 200.

3. Resource Development & Individual Giving (15% – Non-Federal Fund Allocation)

• Solicit, secure, and renew corporate cash and in-kind sponsorships for PHA programs and events.
• Identify, cultivate, and steward individual donors to support PHA's general organizational capacity.
• Coordinate annual giving appeals, acknowledgement letters, and donor impact correspondence.
• Maintain donor records in the CRM, including data entry, account cleanup, and giving reports.
• Track all time spent on fundraising activities separately from federally funded hours.

What Success Looks Like in Your First Year

• Deliver PHA's signature programs, including the Poudre River Forum and Capture the Cache, on schedule and within approved budgets.
• Secure new sponsorships and donor relationships that expand PHA's base of non-federal support.
• Submit program grant proposals and complete required program reporting accurately and on time.
• Document standard operating procedures for each major program and event.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience
• 2–4 years' experience planning and executing public-facing programs or events
• Demonstrated experience securing grant funding, sponsorships, and new donor relationships, not solely stewarding existing ones
• Experience developing and managing program or event budgets
• 1–3 years' experience with donor/CRM databases
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including public speaking
• Familiarity with federal grant reporting and 2 CFR 200 (Uniform Guidance), or willingness to train

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience producing large public events or festivals, including vendor and sponsor management
• Experience writing or managing government or federal grants
• Established relationships in Northern Colorado's business, tourism, or civic community
• Interest in Northern Colorado's history, rivers, or outdoor recreation

Work Requirements

• Valid driver's license; ability to travel and work evenings/weekends as needed

Skills and Abilities

The Program Development Director is:

• Confident in soliciting donations and sponsorships for PHA
• Knowledgeable about, or willing to learn, federal grant compliance and time-and-effort tracking
• Self-motivated and proactive
• Capable at working as part of a team
• Flexible and adaptable
• Effective at building relationships
• Highly organized and detail oriented
• A strong communicator and able to give public presentations
• Creative and solutions oriented
• Capable of using computers and various technologies

Tools and Equipment Used

Computers, Office 365, Teams, Adobe Acrobat, donor management software, copy machine, telephone, various other office equipment and automobile.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand, walk, sit, push, pull, reach, use manual dexterity, drive, talk, hear, and perform repetitive motions. Periodically, the employee will be regularly required to lift 10–25 pounds. The employee is occasionally required to lift more than 25 pounds, stoop, kneel, crouch, and crawl.

Specific vision abilities required by this job include normal vision to perform routine observation, reading and writing; moderate vision to operate equipment such as calculators and computers; close vision for reading detailed charts or computer printouts, operating vehicles or equipment requiring depth perception.

Compensation & Benefits

Hiring Range $62,000–$72,000 (based on education, experience, and tenure with the organization)

This is a full-time, salaried, exempt position with full benefits. PHA offers flexibility in scheduling and the opportunity to work from home one day per week. Benefits include health stipend, dental, vision, AD&D, and paid time off for vacation, sick, and holidays as well as an employee assistance program and 401(k) matching.

How to Apply

Submit a cover letter and resume to sstoker @ poudreheritage.org with “Program Development Director” in the subject line. Application deadline: [October 30, 2026].

Poudre Heritage Alliance is an equal opportunity employer and actively recruits, selects and promotes qualified employees and volunteers, broadly representative of the community served and administers its personnel practices without discrimination. PHA prohibits harassment of one employee by another employee or supervisor. Discrimination on the basis of age, veteran status, sex, sexual orientation, race, color or ethnicity, nationality, disability, genetic information or religion, is prohibited in accordance with the Office of Civil Rights.

Pay: $62,000.00 - $72,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Experience:

• planning and executing public events: 2 years (Required)
• securing new donors and sponsorships: 2 years (Required)
• with CRM database: 1 year (Required)

Work Location: In person